Mello's Kingdom of Hearts
by Peaches and Sweet Cream
Summary: Mello suddenly gets inspired by one of Matt's video games, and counts all the hearts that he cherishes... even until the very end. Slight AU. One of my better works.


A/N 1: Oh… This is such a sad one-shot that I decided to write. I decided that Linda never got enough love, so I made this. This is slight AU.

**Mello's Kingdom of Hearts**

Mello begin--

Even though he didn't like to admit it, Mello had always liked Linda. It wasn't love, though, just genuine friendship.

One day at home sweet Whammy's, she had shyly come into his room that he shared with Matt, and asked if she could draw him. Mello nonchalantly gnawed on his chocolate bar for what seemed like hours before he mumbled out a bored "Sure."

She had taken a seat on the old story-telling chair in the corner that L usually sat on whenever he paid a visit. It made Mello wince to see the girl, who looked so plain and droll, take a seat in his God's chair as if it were just a normal stool. However, he kept it to himself.

"Yeah, well, hurry up. I'm busy, y'know?" He had quickly improvised an excuse to make himself seem distant as usual. He expected Linda to tell him that she needed time or that he was rude, but she just nodded humbly before taking a pencil out of a small, blue bag.

She was unusually fast at sketching, and Mello found that he barely had any time to complain before she had walked out of the room, canvas resting between her waist and arm as she hurried out of the room. As she closed the door behind her frail frame, she told the blonde that the painting would one day rest upon the walls of an art gallery. Mello mentally sighed, knowing he had scared her with his intimidating personality. He heard an exasperated snort from Matt as the redhead finished his video game.

"Hey, Matt…" Mello's voice was smooth as the chocolate he ate; it was a side he rarely showed to even Matt, his closest, not to mention only, friend. "What game is that?"

"Kingdom Hearts." Matt replied blankly, flicking the 'off' button on the side of the black and red DS and changing the game to a more violent one featuring dinosaurs and grenade launchers.

Mello managed a feeble smile as he turned around on the bed; his face opposite the pastel-colored wallpaper. _Kingdom Hearts?_ He thought wryly. _I wonder if I have a kingdom of hearts… Matt is obviously in mine. L too. Who else…?_

It would be a long time until Mello's kingdom lost its last heart… and gained its final heart.

-

It was much later, in the first year of the Kira case. Roger had pulled him and Near out of playtime, and into his dirty office. Mello looked at L's candy cabinet in the corner longingly, smelling the chocolate from inside the paper thin wood. He desperately wanted to get this over with and continue beating the snot out of Evan with a soccer ball. Oh, good times…

"What is it, Roger?" Mello asked, placing both palms on the wooden desk.

"L is… dead."

_Mello's Heart Kingdom population – 2 (Matt, Mello)_

_RIP_

_L Lawliet_

_Deceased: Heart attack_

-

Everything was a red blur when Matt died. As Kiyomi Takada clutched his waist like the little idiot she was, he realized that something was amiss.

Another heart.

_Mello's Heart Kingdom population – 1 (Mello)_

_RIP_

_L Lawliet_

_Deceased: Heart Attack_

_Mail Jeevas_

_Deceased: Gun shots/blood loss_

-

The plan was a success. He managed to kill Kiyomi without a hitch.

However, he had not captured Kira, the lucky jerk. The day before, he had received a valid video showing that his own name was written in the Death Note; he was going to die on the twenty-fourth, at 6:14 in the afternoon. He had spent the previous hours sending letters and e-mails to people he had nearly forgotten about, finishing the story he had never ended, and mourning for the loss of Watari, L, and Matt, whom he had nearly forgotten about while wrapped up in his own grief.

The streets seemed even grayer now that he knew his death was drawing near. Mello wondered if this is what is had felt like to be L, ever awaiting the death he knew he could not avoid…

Mello had realistic goals as a person, but not as L's second successor in a world of turmoil.

He had wanted to meet a wonderful woman in Japan, preferably one with black hair and green eyes, and have twins with her; a boy and a girl. He wanted to become a lawyer; he had always been interested in law, if that wasn't obvious enough. The next on his list was to travel to as many countries as he could, and tell his children and grandchildren all about his zany adventures to many foreign countries.

Of course, the only thing he had succeeded in doing was traveling. He never really met a girl, save Linda, let alone had children.

As he walked down the dull streets full of unattractive women and gangly men, he noticed an art gallery. He was suddenly reminded of Linda's promise, and felt a pang of longing… for the Whammy days.

The inside was simply bland: white, something he expected from the humble Linda.

He scanned the walls blankly. He noticed that next to the doorway was a sign notifying the public that the paintings were not for sale. He then proceeded to examine the art. Strokes of neutrals sank into the walls, while the brighter colors such as orange and red jumped out at him like wild animals. None of the monochromatic paintings had yellow in them, for some odd reason. He felt insulted, being a natural blonde.

Then, he noticed _it_.

It was a rainbow of colors in the background. Splashes of shades and tints of blue colored the background of the canvas, signifying a summer sky. Green grass sprang up from the ground, while differently colored children's shoes danced along it like a ballet studio. However, the center figure was what caught his blue eyes.

It was _him_.

His hair was a beautiful yellow, taking the place of the sun. His face was in its signature pout and stunningly blue eyes gazed back at him. The black clothes were taut on his peachy skin, sending an alluring vibe. Mello found himself gaping at the picture.

Then, at the corner of the picture were the five letters that changed Mello's world.

_Linda_

He didn't have the strength to read the last name. He suddenly felt an unsettling pain in his chest, and he dropped to the floor. The people around him stared as if they were witnessing a terrifying, yet exciting auto accident. His eyesight went out of focus and they bored holes into the ground.

A little, redheaded girl gasped, and for a moment, her scared eyes rivaled the legendary L's. Mello wanted to hiss at all the people who were watching him with wide eyes.

He clutched at his chest, and quickly glanced at the clock in the corner of the room. It claimed it was 6:14; time to die.

There was one more pulse of pain before the blood seeped under his leather jacket, and his breathing stopped.

Then, mercifully, he knew no more.

_Mello's Heart Kingdom population – 1 (??)_

_RIP_

_L Lawliet_

_Deceased: Heart Attack_

_Mail Jeevas_

_Deceased: Gun shots/blood loss_

_Mihael Keehl_

_Deceased: Heart Attack_

The last, beloved name was…

Linda.

Mello end--

A/N 2: Oh, sad… right? Please review! I worked hard on this.


End file.
